Andiroo99

Any thoughts on what is the finest 5 or 6 speed freewheel that has been made. Is it one of the highend Suntours or do you have other suggestions?

I currently ride a Suntour Perfect 5 speed which ride nice and smooth but want to upgrade to the best.

Thanks

Arb

pastorbobnlnh 

6 speed Sachs or Shimano 600 for vintage freewheels.

Andiroo99

Hi Bob

Do you either available for sale?

Andy

JohnDThompson 

Final generation Shimano 600 or Dura-Ace, FTW.

pastorbobnlnh 

Andy, what range gearing?

Andiroo99

Bob

The Suntour Perfect you made me and which I am using at the moment is 14, 16, 18, 21, 24. This seems a decent spread.

Do you really think the Sachs and Shimano's are better than the Suntours of the same era?

Andy

miamijim

Shimano Dura Ace 74XX series.

repechage

Best 6 speed freewheel, Campagnolo.

Best 5 speed freewheel, Regina G.S. Corsa pre Oro.

Best value for the money at the time Suntour Ultra 6 New Winner.

Grand Bois

What makes them better?

SJX426 

Of all the attributes I can think of off the top of my head, I would judge them by shifting quality. But, they are not the lone contributor to that attribute; the chain and derailleur are major contributors not to mention skill of shifting friction, and the quality of the cable assembly.

Good question GB! How do you judge "the best"? "The best" maybe what works for you, name brand aside.

Do you like tic, tic, tic or clack, clack, clack? Do you like 'em quite, high pawl count or low pawl count? Must they be "wobulate" free? Is it ease of maintenance? Color?

droy45

I used a new Shimano 7 speed freewheel which is designed for the modern indexing shifters and it works just as slick and smooth as can be on my Fuji using friction shifters. It originally had the 6 speed suntour freewheel.

WNG

Suntour Winner Pro or Shimano's final offerings for the high end before dropping freewheels and stuck to cassettes.
As mentioned, the Dura-Ace, but I like the chromed finish of the Sante freewheel better.

What made them better? Body design to allow more combos and interchangeability with fewer parts, and teeth profiling for better shifting. This was where the Japanese were miles ahead of the Europeans.

tombc

Suntour Perfect because of the tool interface. Often is the ultimate freewheel because it never comes off.

Lenton58 

I have a 6 speed 600 freewheel — 13?-21T that I intend to use on the flats with a Cyclone RD. It's in very good condition, but, it is h-e-a-v-y. While I am not a weight weenie, this is a dynamic encumbrance. That being said, I intend to use it anyway. It is a very business looking piece of kit!

spacemanz

I'd definitely grab a 600 6-speed, if I saw it. I have a tri-color era 8-speed cassette, that's great, but no freewheels. But I do have that older type Regina G.S. Corse, mounted up to a Campag. Record hub, & it's awesome. The only thing I'd change on these wheels, is the rims, for vintage 27"ers, if I easily could.

Bandera

Agree. A solid wobble-free body w/ smooth positive pawl engagement and excellent durability.
A few drops of "Phil" oil in the body's oil port gave nearly silent operation.
"Back when" the Shimano FW board offered a wide variety of cogs for custom builds and easy individual cog replacement.
Paired w/ a Sedisport chain shifting was precise.
The splined puller tool made life easy.

I still have DA 7spd in 12-20, 13-22 & 13-23 and some 6 speeds around here somewhere as well.

-Bandera

Dave Mayer

I was sifting through my freewheel bin on the (wet) weekend. I counted about twenty 6 and 7 speed Dura-Ace 7400 units, and a similar number of Sachs, Winner and Winner Pros. Plus about 50 pounds of minty spare cogs.

So my unbiased advice for the best 6-speed freewheel: the modestly priced Shimano TZ20. Superior Hyperglide cogs and a unique body design that makes it the lightest of all of the steel freewheels. Plus it uses the superior Shimano/Sachs remover interface. About $15 at a store near you.

Sixty Fiver

The Shimano 600 is a lovely freewheel.

Andiroo99

Thanks for this Dave - Does anyone else use one of these modern Shimano freewheels? Interested if they really are a better ride than the classics.

Sixty Fiver

Modern Shimano freewheels work just as well... it is a little hard to find anything outside of a 14-28 though.

Grand Bois

I've replaced all of my Suntour and Regina freewheels with modern inexpensive Shimano freewheels because they shift better.

They're all 14X28, but that works for me.

LeicaLad 

+3. I have several configurations on different bikes, but my experience to date with the "cheap" Shimano freewheels has been excellent. A new chain and those Hyperglide teeth? Excellent shifting. Period.

chapel

For vintage components

Shimano Dura Ace MF-7400
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=91BB5BC4-EEF8-4229-B3E8-AA3CAB9125EA&Enum=114&AbsPos=78

Shimano 600 MF-6208
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.as...=114&AbsPos=75

For modern
Shimano TZ20
https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-6-Spee.../dp/B003EQ71QI

CountryBiking

+4. I upgrades my Shimano 600 6-speed (13-24) with a new Shimano 7-speed (13-28) and a new chain. It shifts like a dream. I am going to do the same for my newly acquired Centurion Pro Tour (from 5-speed 14-32 to 7-speed 13-28). Just ordered the parts from Harris Cyclery, less than $50 shipped for Freewheel and Chain.

I guess I deviated from the OPs 5 or 6-speed question with talk of 7-speed, I'm sure the 6-speed units shift as well as the 7-speed units.

1989Pre

I use 13-28 or 14-28 (6-sp) exclusively. The TZ20 Shimano is light (384g), but I have noticed a fair amount of wobble, and the teeth are not what you would call robust. It was my first summer, last year, using one, and I feel the jury is still out on its quality.
Although I do favor the Sachs and Suntour Winner (second incarnation), both are almost impossible to find in my favored gearing. My answer to the O.P's question is: It has not yet been built. If there was a high-quality, 6-speed freewheel at 350-390g, that would be the ultimate.